Clutch.



A. E. ROBINSON O A. M. SOSA.

CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED SEPI. I0` `I9I1.

Patented FOI. I, 1912).

UNITED STATES ALBERT E. ROBDTSON AND AUGUSTUS PATENT OEEIOE.

M. SOSA, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN TOOL WORKS COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CLUTCH.

between the friction-band and its coaeting friction Surface.

We have found that in the manufacture of friction-bands or in treating or seasoning the same, the friction-bands are liable to be- Acome warped. or.'due to valving stresses in the metal. one edge of the friction-band is liable to vary with relation tO the other, this variation heilig sometimes in length. the result being that there is liable to be unequal force ot' Contact between the friction-band and its eoacting friction surface when the friction-band is in use.

It is the object ol our invention to compensate for inequalities in the friction-band. and. further. to 'compensate for the same by automatic means arranged to automatically take care of variations in the frictimi-baml. or variations in concentricity of the frictionband with relation to the conccntricitlv of its coacting friction-Wall.

Tt, is the object of our invention. further, to provide. abutment means for the frictionband and the friction-band with coacting pressure-faces whereby a lateral shifting between the abutment means and the frictionband may take place to automatimll)Y compensate for variations at the respective sides of the. median circumferential line of the friction-band.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Figure 1 is a plan view. partly broken away, cxernplifying'our improved device applied in a` usual back-gear drive ot a drilling machine.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of our improved device. taken in the plane ot the iiue. 2 -2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section Of the same. taken inthe plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1..

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

Application filed September 10,'1917. Serial No. 190,656.

Fig. L is an edge elevation of our improved device. showing the outer rotating member partly in axial section to expose the clutch parts.

Fig. 5 is an axial device. taken in the Fig. 2.

Eig. (5 is a detail axial section of the Same, taken in the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. Jr; and,

Fig. 7 is a detail section of the sam@` taken in the plane of thel line T-Y of Fig, 6 i

In the present exempliiication` the friction-clutch is shown as comprisingi an inner member 11 and an outer member i2. having a friction-band 13 between the same. The inner member is shown as a latini-supporting part fixed. as h v a key 14. to a sleeve 15. having splilie-connection 16 with a drive-shaft 1i'. which may represent the usual back-shaft extending lengthwise of the drill-arm of a drilling machine.

- rlhe member 12 is exemplified as keyed by a key 1S to a bevel-gear 19. The member 12 represents the driven member of the clutch in the present 'exemplification. This driven member may transmit motion to suitable mechanism. as the usual driving and feeding' Section of our improved plane of the line :3*5 of mechanism in the drill-head of a drilling machine. XVe have. in Fig. 1. represented the parts in reverse duplicates.

The inner and outer members have aspace 31 between them` in which the friction-band is received. with an annular frictionwall 22 which tormszone of the walls of said space. The other wall 3C-3 of said space forms asupport tor the band. The band may be of suitable metal. The friction-band is exemplied as an expansible friction-band with oneend of the friction-talud held b'v the inner member, while the other end of said band is pressed, as by a key 2i. for expanding the frictionband into engagement with the friction-wall.

The key is provided with trunnions Q5 received/inseats 26 in the inner member, and has an arm QT extending therefrom. The en'd of the friction-band is received in a recess 2S in said kev. the end-wall of said re. cess coacting with said friction-band for eX- panding the same. A spline 31. having a key-moving part 3Q thereon. is arranged t0 impinge the swinging end of the arm of said key for rocking said key and actuating said friction-eluteh. The spline is arrangedto rlhe outer member is providedv reciprocate in a splineway 33 in the sleeve 15, actuated by means of a collar 35 secured to said spline, arranged to receive a finger 3G in an annular groove 37 therein, the finger be ing on a bloeit 38 shittable laterally en a rod 39 by means of an operating arm 40 pivoted at 41 to the easing 42 inclosing the clutch device.

The arm "27 oi the key 24 is arranged to .reciprocate in a slot 43 of the inner member, the seats or bearings 26 'for the respective trunnions ot the key being at the respective sides of said slot, and the arm being at the middle portion of the key, te equalize the pressure exerted by the key.

A spring releasingr position. lt is received in a lbore 46 in the inner member, the respective ends of the spring being` secured to the arm Q7 and a pin i7 in said bore.

The rictioneband is provided with contact faces 5l, 52, which slope relatively te each other crosswise of the width of the friction-band, and are exemplified as formed on the end of said friction-band. They also preferably slope outwardly in the direction or' the force applied, as shown at 53 in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. a, for bringing the [friction -band into coaeting relation with. its coacting' friction-wall at the contacted end ci the friction-bami and throughou'tiis length.

Contact-laces 55, 56, which coact with the 'faces on the friction-band, are represented 'aslccated on blocks 57, 58, received in 'uideways. 59 6'O, in the inner member at tie respective sides of the slot. 43 therein. The coa-sting frictioirtaees are preferably relatively adjustable, for which purpose the contact-faces 5G, are shown on separate blocks, the adjustment beine' represented as accomplished by means ot a bolt 61 received in bores GQ in said blocks, an adjusting nut 63 threaded to the threaded end of said boltdetermining the distance between said blocks, a jam-nut 6l maintaining the adjusting nut in adjusted position. A pin 67 prevents turning' of the bolt. In the present exemplification, therefore, outward opposed lateral force is applied to said blocks in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the clutch, the outward movement being limited respectively by the head of said lbolt and the nut received about the said bolt. -Tlie relative adjustment of the blocks adjusts the force applied by the triction-band with a given extent of movement of the rocking key. The blocks are provided with inner clearance-spaces 68, 69, for accommodating the arm 27 and permitting lateral movement of the blocks.

The opposed inclined faces on the friction-band and blocks act as wedges and cause `lateral shifting substantially parallel with the axis, of rotation of the clutch between 15 normally urges the key into said coactingr friction-faces, the lateral shifting or positioning,r preferably taking place in the blocks, although the elasticity of the de vice enables shifting te take place either in the faces on the clutch-member or in the band.

lf desired, the friction-bund may be held :in place in the space between the 'frictionmenibers by annular shoulders (35, (S6, on said respective members, these shoulders being preferably spaced apart, a greater dietance than the width el said trictionband for allowing slight lateral movement oi said friction-band.

lt is obvious further, that our improved device is eniployable in other relations than as particularly exempliiied herein, and that the coacting' frictimi-taces may be at the actuated end olf the irieliorrband, and that the invention employable on a contractible as well on an expansible friction-band and that changes, within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the spirit oil our invention.

In operation, assuming' that the friction band is longer at one side than at the other side oi the median line arouiul its circuiw terence, when the key 241 is turned, the longer edge oi' the trictionband will first Contact the annular wall enacting therewith. (.ontinued pressure by the key will cause greater force between the key and the end abutment face at that edge of the friction4 band. The resultant :lorc'c between the coaeting inclined or wedge faces at that side A. of the/friction-band -will cause a lateral or axial shifting between said eoacting friction faces, thereby relieving the pressure at that side ot' the frictioirbaiul and causing equalizing coaetion between the inclined or wedge faces at the other side of said friction-band, by relative lateral shifting between said lastnamed inclined or wedge faces, the equalizing adjustment between the coacting inclined or wedge faces at the respective sides ol the friction-band Continuing until the endwise force exerted by the key upon the friction-band is equalized throughout the width ot' the band for equalizing the friction pressure between the friction-band and its coacting wall.

By means of our improved device, the friction engagement between the frictionband and its coactinpl rictioirwall is equa-l ized throughout the area of the frictionband by simple means acting automatically, and the force exerted by the clutch is consequently increased, and inaccuracies in the friction-band compensated for.

Having' thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a friction clutch, the combination of.

a plurality of clutch-members, and a friction-band between them, one of said memtion-band 'between them, one of Said friction-ban vbers provided with an annular friction-face coacting with said friction-band, the other of said membersprovided with end-abutment means for said friction-band, and said end-abutment means and said friction-band provided with coacting faces causing lateral shifting between said end-abutment means and friction-band whereby to equalize the pressure between said friction-band and said friction-face coacting therewith.

2. In' a friction clutch, the combination of a pluralityof clutch-members, and a fricsaid membersprovided withan annular friction-face coacting with said friction-band, the other of said members provided with end-abutment means for said lfriction-band, said endabutment means and said friction-band provided with coacting faces causing lateral shifting betweensaid end-abutment means and friction-band whereby to equalize the l pressure between said friction-band and said friction-face coactmg therewith, and means for relatively laterally .adjusting said coacting faces.

i 3. In a friction c1utch,'tl1e combination of plurality of clutch-members comprising an annular friction-wall, a friction-band coacting with said wall, means for causing friction engagement between said friction-band and said wall. including the providing of d with.. oppositeiy sloping abutment faces, and coacting abutment parts for the latter shiftable laterally Iby lunequally distributed endwise pressure of said band thereon.

4. In a friction clutch, the combination of a plurality of clutch-members comprising an annular friction-wall, a friction-band ceac-ting with said wall, means for causing .friction engagement'between said frictionband and saidv Wall, including the providing of said friction-.band with oppositely slopingV abutment faces, coacting abutment parts for the latter shiftablelaterally by unequally with said annular wall, said provided with a pair signed our names in ers having coperating reversely slopingA wedge-faces, and means for urging pressure between said wedge-faces for forcing said friction-band into frictional engagement coperating edge-faces of said frietion--bandpand retainmg means arranged for automatically causing lateral shifting movement between said friction-band and said retaining means when said friction-band is forced into frictional engagement with said annular wall for egualizing said frictional engagement.

j. In a friction clutch, the combination of a plurality `of coacting clutch-members. a friction-band between them, one of said members provided with a friction-face 'for said friction-band, and means for controlling the friction-pressure of said frictionband comprising a. pair of opposedly inclined abutting faces, friction-band of coacting opposedly inclined abutting faces, meansfor adjusting the distance between the faces `of one of said pairs of opposedly inclinedu abutting faces, and means for lateral shifting between said pairs of opposedly inclined abutting faces.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto scribing Witnesses.

ALBERT E. ROBINSON. AUGUSTUS ML SOS A.

Witnesses ALBERT G. JENMNGS, ALLEN A. EDWARDS.

the presence of two sub-l 

